Use new toilet brush to clean disposal

Use new toilet brush to clean disposal

Dear Heloise: I read a hint about using a toilet-bowl brush (a brand-new one! Heloise) to clean the garbage disposal.

I purchased an inexpensive cylindrical brush immediately.

The disposal odor had really bothered me!

I just wanted to see if the brush would fit, so without further ado, I tried it, and a lot of nasty brown stuff came out, all over me, the sink, etc.

Then I read the instructions, and after cleaning myself and the sink, I followed the instructions exactly, and now I have a sweet-smelling garbage disposal. Thank you so much. Sheila Dwyer, Fort Wayne, Ind.

You are welcome! This really does clean the disposal. For those who might have missed the hint, here’s how you do it safely:

UStart by running hot water into the sink.

URub a few drops of dishwashing detergent on the brush.

UBrush up, down and around to loosen food bits stuck under the rubber gasket. DO NOT pull the brush out suddenly toward your face!

URinse well and repeat as necessary.

UPour some baking soda down the drain and let it sit until you use the sink next time.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When we travel, I always pack two small, inexpensive plastic bottles of hand soap with pump dispensers.

When we get to our destination, I place one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen. No more messy counters. Velma Stafford, Mount Holly, N.C.

Dear Heloise: We have weeds in the cracks of our sidewalk. What household solution do you use to kill them? I enjoy your hints. Audrey W., via e-mail

This is a great time of year for getting after those pesky weeds.

Try this: Sprinkle regular table salt into the crevices and wait for it to kill those weeds.

Don’t get the salt on any other plants, as it will kill them as well. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read a letter in your column in the Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal in which the writer couldn’t get hairspray deposits off a painted chest.

I’ve found that hair shampoo will remove hairspray from our bathroom door, combs and brushes. I guess if shampoo will take it off your hair, it will take hairspray off anything!

I just put a little cheap shampoo on a wet cloth and scrub the surface of the door with it until the spray comes off. I get another clean, wet cloth and wipe the door until the shampoo lather is gone. I’ve read and enjoyed your column for years. Cheryl Birdwell, Lorenzo, Texas

Dear Heloise: Use a small foam paintbrush with a little furniture polish on it to clean all those hard-to-reach places, like moldings and corners. It’s fast and easy! Janet Morris, Lakeland, Fla.

SBlt Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate